Tourniquet use during total knee arthroplasty does not offer significant benefit: A retrospective cohort study

• Tourniquets are routinely employed during total knee arthroplasty; however, their use remains controversial.
• Thus, the routine use of tourniquets during knee arthroplasty may need to be reconsidered.
• Tourniquet use provided no overall benefit.

IntroductionTourniquets are routinely employed during total knee arthroplasty; however, their use remains controversial.MethodsThis study investigates the efficacy and safety of this practice. A retrospective analysis of 186 patients was performed to assess benefits and/or risks associated with tourniquet use during knee arthroplasty. Total knee arthroplasty was performed using the Biomet Vanguard® PCL Prosthesis (Biomet, Warsaw, IN, USA). In total, 126 patients who had undergone total knee arthroplasty were included in our final analysis.ResultsPatients with tourniquets had significantly less intraoperative blood loss than patients without (P < .001); patients without tourniquets required more blood transfusions (P = .551), and had significantly longer surgical times (P = .011). However, patients with tourniquets had more postoperative blood loss (P < .001), longer hospital stays (P = .013), and more frequent complications (P = .571). Blood transfusion requirement was significantly associated with complications (P < .001).ConclusionsTourniquet use provided no overall benefit.